Two New Human Cases Of Avian Flu Infection In Vietnam

Featured Article
Main Category: Bird Flu / Avian Flu
Also Included In: Respiratory / Asthma
Article Date: 03 Jul 2007 - 10:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

Two people have become infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus strain, according to Vietnam's Ministry of Health. Vietnam last had a confirmed human infection in November 2005. The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the WHO H5 Reference Laboratory have also confirmed these latest cases.

One is a male, 29 years old, from Vinh Phuc Province. He became ill on 10th May, hospitalized on May 15th and discharged on 11th June. Prior to becoming ill, he had been slaughtering poultry for a wedding. The other is also male, aged 19, from Thai Nguyen Province. He became ill on 20th May and was admitted to hospital on 25th May. He is still in hospital, in a stable condition. He had been exposed to poultry at a slaughter house.

Experts say there is no epidemiological link between these two human cases. There is also no evidence of any infection among those close to the two infected patients.

During May and June this year Vietnam saw new outbreaks of H5N1 infection among poultry.

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today